Soft stool from bunny.

[anonymousmoose]

Today bunny has been pooping a soft stool. Looks more like something [but smaller] that would come from a dog. His diet has been 1 chinese cabbage leaf a day, 1 carrot a day, rabbit pellets, oat hay (from vet) and green shredded grash/hey type stuff bought from the vet. He likes the carrot best of all and doesnt eat all his cabbage.

He wasn't doing this yesterday and he yesterday he was a the vet for a vaccination and checkup and all was fine. I'm not too worried but thought I'd ask for advice if I should change his diet.

He is also going through a heavy shedding (vet took a look and said its normal)... not sure if this has any bearing on it.

It also smellsanic:, unlike his regular poopies.

Forgot to say... his cage is kept clean because of the shedding its cleaned and vacuumed about 2-3 times a week.

 

[anonymousmoose]

Forgot to ask this also... do the rabbit pellets we feed him expire? They have been in an open bucket for a little while. Is there a sign we can look out for if they do have an expire date?

Oh and he just pooped again. This time the poop is back it its normal small round shape but still soft and stinky.

 

[tamsin]

Those foods sound fine but what proportions are you feeding them in? Rabbit should have lots and lots of hay but only a few pellets. A medium sized rabbit around 30/40g.

Carrots are high in sugar so very tasty but not too good in big quantities. You could try gradually adding a bigger variety of veg including more leafy greens - carrot tops are good.

If he had a vaccination that could have triggered the gut upset.

 

[anonymousmoose]

Thank you. My rabbit was weighed yesterday by the vet at 2kg. How many chinese cabbage leaves and pellets should I be feeding him? I always leave plenty of hey in his cage and top it up every few days.

 

[Pipp]

Pellets should be fresh or kept in a sealed container. Exposure to oxygen I think makes them stale. My guys don't like them after a couple of months. That's unlikely to be the cause of this particular problem as long as they've been kept dry and safe from sprays, etc. You really have to make sure they is no chance of mold, that can be deadly.

What's the brand of pellet? How much protein and fiber do they have?

Tamsin's right that the vaccination could be the cause.

The ones that are wet-looking, odd-shaped and/or stinky are usually not actually poop, they're cecals and normally the rabbits eat them -- yucky, but sort of an internal vitamin pill. When they make too many of them (often diet-related) or they don't eat them (stress, obesity, etc), you find them lying around (or stuck to their butts).

When they start leaving them, or they get runny, the best thing is to cut out everything but hay and water until they're back to normal.

A varied veggie diet with just a few pellet and a lot of hay is great. It may be that one vegetable or more doesn't or won't agree with him, though, so watch to see if he's got a sensitivity. Just add one new veggie at a time.

You said in your intro post the bunny had been ill in the past. Can you remember or inquire about the diagnosis? It will be good to know that.

Sounds like he's in good hands.


sas :bunnydance:

 

[RandomWiktor]

Cabbage can cause GI upsets in rabbits, as can the ammount of sugar in carrots. Personally, I would feed a greater variety of leafy greens, and save things like carrots and fruit as treats.

You bun probably only needs about 1/4cup of pellets per day. The rest should be dominated by timothy hay & other grasses, leafy greens, and veggies. Sugary veg and fruit should be a treat only.

 

[anonymousmoose]

I think I will throw out the old pellets and buy fresh ones tomorrow.

 

[tonyshuman]

Where are you located? It wonder if there is a GI parasite causing this. I would also get new pellets, but a de-worming may be helpful as well, with an antiparasitic drug.